Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1887-04-02
DRIFT.

by no means an easy TASK to nud Whas eu'
swers ones purpose, unlesA indeed, one
potisfied with the conventional Eassef cero'
or booklet, the most OF which peaf 700 evi'
dent marks of being "msde TO SELL" win
too much Of straining amer novelty, to b
slther m.the.icaily satisfying Or thoroughly
appropriate In any other respect
TunRE are . few quite pretty cards out
this year, and several booklets and other de-
vices that are not without merit while, OF
course, OF inferior stuff there 10 any quantity |
10 be had. Among the prettiest however,
indeed, according to my ideas, the very
prettiest by far, and the one that comes near.
est to my ideal Of an Easter token, 10
little book that has Just come nom the
"Riverside Press' Of Houehton, Miifiin 4
Co, Of Boston. 1t 10 dainty volume Of
scarce twoscore poems BY that delicate literary |
artist and devout Christian woman MrA A.
d. 7. Whitney and IL entitled simply Daro. |
dils. When my eyes first restad on Il, II
gave me start OF genuine pleasure 1t was
e though had heard the first spring note Of |
the blue bird, or had caught the nrst faint |
breath Of the real daffodils delicate perfume
In my garden. don't believe even the
fastidious Arm which publishes % many Of
the BEST and most perfect specimens Of Ameri.
can book making, hes ever produced any.
thing more thoroughly artistic and exquistteiy
beautiful Bound In parchment and dahodn
cloth, the cover alone, with its delicsts and
perfectly blended harmony OF colors, the
silken lustie Of the rleh datfodil yellow set
Oh BY the pure ivory. shit, parchment, and
both emphasized, &, 1t were, BY the outlines
Of single daffodil In gold on one side, with
the gilt top and gilt back and aide titles tho
combination aud proportion OF colors alone
are delight to the eyeau artists study, more
| truly beautiful they seemed to me than all
the elsborately designed and colorsd cards
displayed on every hand.
| NOT the harmony Of colors alone. however,
| 10 the book . chief claim TO artistic beauty;
but the further harmony OF this exquisite
binding with the character, the tone, the
daffodil perfume, OF the coutents, from cover
% cover breathing lowly clingine trust, .
love, real Easter spirit 1t 10 because OF
this spirit. suggested BY the growth, color,
perfume and whole boing OF the datiodil, that
the German. with their oeep poetic Insight,
have name1 1t Oster biume, the Easter
flower. Ard Mr. Whitney has caught the -
| suggestions and sweetly expressed them In
her motto poem, or dedicstory lines "To the
| wayfsrer," a delicaseiy graceful - any.
thing In the volume:
| Hercup doth hold;
Asking and gathering the sweet light until
| Then, though the u under.siies be dun and gray.
| With chan geiess mien she sits there brave and
In the meek grass.
Showing her trophy Of fairer day
To all that pass.
III any little reaching upward so.
Havs found the o'sr.broodins summer whose
TO s,adnes. ais
Hsar'0l00"' sS srE asoaai. %s at,ta1e them s'you
II Mira Whitney's poetic gifts, critically
| considered, are not such - to place her In
| the very first rank OF American female poets,
she has one gift which is by no means com.
mon among poets, male or female, and that
II that she Is clearly conscious Of her limita.
tons, and seldom or never attempts anything
beyond them. In other words, II she 10 not
Helen Hunt Jackson or an Edith ThomsA
she 10 Mrs. Whitney, and IL bravely content
to fulhll MIA Whitney's poetic mission.
Her deep spiritual insight never leads her or
mysticism, but ever gives clear expression to
J phases OF truth that may be seen BY the
average Christian, and that bring comfort
and help to the believing heart Her fervent
ssntimsutalism into which, for example,
Miss HsvergA 10 often fell but 1t IL always
, strengthening, invigorsting, impelling tc
work while waiting for the blessing OF the
A' ~ t ssssve1 he ssps ioush.hare, run.
Il The cloucs run Overhead;
: And ths soil that worE s and lets In tn, sun.
. With water IL always fed."
AS handled and csressed this lovely vol
; ume, for 1t Is . pleasure merely to see 1T
beauty, and feel its soft, creamy paper, OF
which the letters lie like flowers In Q bed o
moss, I could not help wondering-snd de
ploring-thsts 20 many still waste their money
On more ephemeral picture cards, when fo
II 1oa~ ri kka~ LA AHAs
Gard cost, they could ges such Lasting
"thiDg of beauty" whose presentation to
friend would be . gift Of permanent value
and whose enjoyment would ever remind
sense - we'll - the esteem o! the donor. ]
am sure, however, thst - We grow In knowl
edge, and - our tastes and sensibilities be.
como moro refined, books like this one, good
to be appreciated among Us more and more
| - the most sensible, useful and appropriate
| gtfts on all occasions whore friendship's offer
ings are called for. l am glad TO know thai
J tslligsnt and cultured people. And It il it
self chief means OF spreading intelligence
! and culture among oil classea
THIS latter, BY the way, il one of the mos
important aims TO be kept before ~ here q
Lancaster, and especially just st this stage o
our city's progress. 1t is, l think, eviden
y
|. and most wholesome awakening among oul
business men. The reorganization and Iiveli
> ness Of our Board Of Trade 10 patent proof O
1t ; not the cause OF Il, but causaliy reactinl
eject OF the newly awakened public spirit
Lancaster u probably about entering upon
career Of unprecedented commercial and In
dustSiai growth and prosperity. Everyone
must rejoice In thiA and certainly none doe
% more than !. Yet see Q danger ahead
We dare not put all our vitality, all oul
means and energy, into one kind o
octtvity only, or our growth will not b
symmetrical, viii b one-sided, pArtis
imperfect, aud possibly harmful
Let % push our city . industrial and CONNER
cial interests all We can. But don't let us pust
those interests alona The life OF Q commu
nifty doosn't consist only OF its business pros
psrtty and money-wealth. Parallel with ii
bushes growth, 1t must grow also In iutsl.
iigence, In scientific, literary, artistic culture
. These are fully - important - the former
THY q: neee.aary 70 the best use and enjoy
moot OF it, material prosperity. What Guiso
: In bis History Of Civilization says Il
! true Of cities q we'll - OF nations
| any one sphere or department. Of lif,
, u pushed, 70 the neglect Of the others, Whiit
In that one the nation or city may beoom,
rapidly pre-sminent up to . certain degree
this very pre-sminsnoe, or rather the neGloc
q the other departmenta, will inevitably